WBBL 2018-19 Brisbane Heat Women vs Melbourne Stars Women 50th Match Prediction. Melbourne Stars’ became the third team to get knocked out of the contention to qualify for the playoffs with their recent loss to Sydney Thunder. Their loss left the competition to occupy the remaining two slots among the three teams – Brisbane Heat, Melbourne Renegades, and Perth Scorchers.

OUR PREDICTION

Brisbane Heat Women To Win the Match, 1.62

Brisbane Heat have done better than Melbourne Stars recently and in the tournament so far

The opening pair of Beth Mooney and Grace Harris has been very effective upfront for Brisbane Heat

Brisbane Heat Women will be motivated to do well with a playoff spot up for grabs

ABOUT THE MATCH

The Stars could very well become the party spoiler for Brisbane Heat when the two teams lock horns on Thursday, 10th January at Brisbane. The Heat are currently placed at the third spot in the points table and thanks to their superb net run rate, a win should be sufficient for them to cement their place in the semis.

MATCH PREVIEW

BRISBANE HEAT WOMEN

Brisbane Heat may have lost their most-recent encounter to Melbourne Renegades, but their net run rate of 0.887 emphasizes the kind of dominance they’ve displayed in the tournament. More often than not, they’ve been ruthless, which has shown in the results.

Their last game was something they’d like to shrug off and move on from. Batting first on a decent batting wicket, they were dismissed for a paltry total of 118 which was chased with ease by Melbourne Renegades. Prior to that game, the Heat were just picking up with the momentum with two dominating wins in two games – against Adelaide and Hobart Hurricanes respectively.

Barring Beth Mooney, who scored 44 off 31 deliveries, none of their batters got going as we witnessed yet another collective batting failure in this tournament. Only three players were able to reach double figures with S Luss, coming in at number ten, scoring 17 which happened to be the next best individual score in their innings.

With a subpar score on the board, there wasn’t much their bowlers could have done and Renegades’ opening pair of Sophie Molineux and Danielle Wyatt sensible batting never allowed Heat bowlers to get back in the game. Heat picked up a couple of wickets towards the end, but it proved to be too little too late as they lost the match by 7 wickets with more than an over to spare.

MELBOURNE STARS WOMEN

A few matches ago, the Stars were one of the most-probable teams to qualify for the semifinals, but such has been the turn of the events, that they’ve been knocked out with two games still left to play.

Their misery can be evaluated by considering their results in their last five matches out of which they’ve failed to win even one. The best result they’ve had in those matches has been a wash-out against Sydney Thunder. Sydney Thunder then defeated them in a low-scoring game in the second of the two games between the two sides.

Melbourne Stars got off to a rather sedate but wicket-less start which came back to haunt them in the middle overs. It was Lizelle Lee’s painfully slow knock of 12 which took 20 deliveries which induced urgency among the batsmen to follow. The pressure of being in a do-or-die situation got to them and they ended up losing too many wickets too quickly.

Sydney Thunder Women had a similar start to the chase as Stars’ bowlers were disciplined and accurate upfront. With Sydney Thunder reeling at 72 for 6 at one stage, the Stars were well and truly in the game, but some poor death bowling coupled with responsible batting from Nicola Carey handed Stars their fourth loss in the last five matches.

A few matches ago, the Stars were one of the most-probable teams to qualify for the semifinals, but such has been the turn of the events, that they’ve been knocked out with two games still left to play.

Their misery can be evaluated by considering their results in their last five matches out of which they’ve failed to win even one. The best result they’ve had in those matches has been a wash-out against Sydney Thunder. Sydney Thunder then defeated them in a low-scoring game in the second of the two games between the two sides.

Melbourne Stars got off to a rather sedate but wicket-less start which came back to haunt them in the middle overs. It was Lizelle Lee’s painfully slow knock of 12 which took 20 deliveries which induced urgency among the batsmen to follow. The pressure of being in a do-or-die situation got to them and they ended up losing too many wickets too quickly.

Sydney Thunder Women had a similar start to the chase as Stars’ bowlers were disciplined and accurate upfront. With Sydney Thunder reeling at 72 for 6 at one stage, the Stars were well and truly in the game, but some poor death bowling coupled with responsible batting from Nicola Carey handed Stars their fourth loss in the last five matches.

OUR PREDICTION

It is the battle between a team that has nothing to lose and a team that has everything to gain. Melbourne Stars’ performance has certainly faded in their recent games whereas Brisbane Heat have done exceedingly well throughout the competition.

The Heat have done better in the tournament so far and are a better-balanced side, at least on paper. With the prize of securing a berth in the playoffs, they will be motivated to do well which, along with the above-mentioned reasons, makes them favorites to win the upcoming encounter.